Barnes, Milton

Barnes, Milton, Canadian conductor and composer; b. Toronto, Dec. 16, 1931. He studied composition with John Weinzweig and Ernst Krenek, conducting with Victor Feldbrill, Boyd Neel, and Walter Susskind, and piano with Samuel Dolin at the Royal Cons, of Music of Toronto (1952–55). Then he pursued further training in conducting at the Accademia Musicale Chi-giana in Siena, at the Berkshire Music Center at Tangle-wood, and with Swarowsky at the Vienna Academy of Music (graduated, 1961). He began his career as a jazz drummer and guitarist; during his student days, he composed many dramatic scores for productions at the Univ. of Toronto. He was music director and composer at the Crest Theatre (1961–63), and founder-conductor of the Toronto Repertory Orch. (1964–73). He also was conductor of the St. Catharines (Ontario) Sym. Orch. and Chorus (1964–73) and of the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) Phil., and Chorus (1965–73), and was composer and conductor-in- residence of the Toronto Dance Theatre (1968–73). An eclectic composer, he has utilized classical, jazz, and popular styles.

Works

DRAMATIC The Spiral Stairs Septet, ballet suite (1973); The Dybbuk: A Masque for Dancing for Tenor and 6 Instruments (1977); music theater pieces; film and television scores. ORCH.: 3 syms. (1964, 1973, 1987); Pinocchio, symphonic poem (1967); Shebetim for Strings (1975); Concerto for Violin and Strings (1975); Viola Concerto (1975); Maid of the Mist, symphonic poem (1977); Channuka Suite for Orch. or Chamber Orch. (1977); Divertimento for Harp and Strings (1978; also for Harp and String Quartet); Serenade for String Quartet and String Orch. (1979); Double Concerto for 2 Guitars and Strings (1986); Three French Canadian Legends (1986); Papageno Variations for String Bass and String Orch. (1988; also for String Bass and Piano); The Odyssey: A Symphonic Tale (1990); Song of the Bow, string bass concerto (1991); Harbord Street for Flute, Viola, Harp, and Strings (1991; also for Flute, Viola, and Harp); Variations on a Hebrew Theme for Strings (1996). CHAMBER: Lamentations of Jeremiah for Viola or Cello (1959); Concerto Grosso Sextet (1973); String Quartet No. 2 (1978); Anerca I for Bassoon or String Bass (1979); Octet (1985); La Rosa Variations for Cello (1992); The Classical Cat: Minnie Minou for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1999). VOCAL: Memorial for Martin Luther King for Chorus and Piano (1968–98); Psalms of David for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1973); Madrigals for Women’s Chorus, 2 Trumpets, and 2 Trombones (1975); Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs) for Soprano, Tenor, Women’s Chorus, and 7 Instruments (1975); Rites of Passage, Requiem for Men’s Chorus and Piano (1991); Fantasy of Jewish Folk Themes for Tenor, Chorus, and Klezmer Band (1993); Adioses Cantata for Mezzo-soprano, Women’s Chorus, Flute, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1994); Sefarad for Chorus (1995); Canciones español for Soprano, Viola, and Piano (1997).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire